


A Olympic dream

by Extebarria



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/F, Modern AU, Olympic Games, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-06
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-03-14 12:18:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13589907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Extebarria/pseuds/Extebarria
Summary: Making her debut at the Olympic Games, held in Oldtown, Sansa Stark, a volleyball player, is preparing for a competition where North has never been present. Is the fight for Olympic glory Sansa's only dream, or are there other achievements waiting for her?





	1. An Olympic debut

All the work done so far was called into question within minutes.  
As Sansa Stark tried to calm her mind before her first Olympic game, silencing it to a pure state of concentration, could not help but hear two of hers teammates talking quietly, as if the game was not going to take place within minutes. Kyra and Alys Karstark always talked a lot. In the background, Sansa could hear Ygritte grumble about something as she wore the equipment. In front of her, equipped, but staring at her Iphone, was Meera.  
Resigning himself to the noisy environment of the balneary, Sansa gave up of trying to turn off her mind and pulled of her phone of hers sport bag, reading the messages she had from her family.  
Good luck to the game. Make the North proud. Had written her father.  
Courage. The gold will be ours! It was Bran's ambitious message.  
"Sansa put away the phone. The coach is coming." Jeyne Poole told her, closing the training bag and resting it on the floor, hastily, as she sat down next to Sansa.  
The coach, Osha, was a tall, thin woman with harsh features. Despite being born beyond the Wall, she was living in the North for decades, playing her entire career playing for the North National Team, being now the coach of the Northern Olympic team.  
"Listen to me, girls. Forget the ignorance that our sport suffers in the North. Since we eliminated the wildling and qualified for the Olympics Games that the North is taking attention to our games. We had bad luck; our first game is against the Reach, but patience. I do not plan to return home after the stage groups and if we have to face the best teams, so be it. Rather in the group stages than in the knockout stage.  
Sansa nodded. Of all sports played in the North, volleyball was one of the most ignored, and therefore, a historical qualification of the women’s team was seen with attention and expectation. The team never received so much attention and support, and the elimination of the Wildlings team had not made the sports magazines forget the coach birthplace and four of the national players: Ygritte, Gilly, Val and Dalla.  
“Stark! Focus!” Osha ordered, distracting Sansa from her thoughts. “The Reach team is a favorite to the gold medal, so be prepared yourself because this game will be one of most complicated ones. I will not give any tactical indication; you´ll know very well what to do. Enjoy the last few minutes before the game. The eyes are on us and the analyst and pseudo bench coaches expect us to lose 3-0. Let’s prove them wrong. The North prevails!”  
“The North prevails!” The players shouted with one voice.

Walking into the volleyball court, Sansa was proud to be in the start VI. Osha had decided that the team would play in a 3-3 tactic and Sansa would start in the defensive sector. In front of her began an offensive line that had already given many victories in the qualifications: Meera Reed; Ygritte and Dacey Mormont. At her side, to defend would be Sansa Stark, Jeyne Poole and, in case of first service, the excellent server, Bethany Blackwood, who despite being born in the Riverlands, played for the northerners, as the Blackwood tradition demanded.  
However, as soon as Sansa entered the court, she quickly lost all focus seeing the full gymnasium. She was not surprised. The Olympic Games were taking place in Oldtown and the North was very close to face the host team. At that moment, when she could only see the green and golden flag of the Reach, she began to hear a deep and loudly voice that echoed against the applause of the spectators as the Reach team entered the court.  
“Come on, girls!” The North is with you”. Sansa recognized GreatJon Umber’s voice. Smiling, Sansa stared the volleyball court and walked forward. The Northerners could be few, but as her father had always told her, one northerner valued by ten.

Before each game, the opposing teams greeted each other by the net. Sansa was recognizing the team that would face them. Desmera Redwyne; another girl who Sansa did not know, perhaps Talla Tarly and the Tyrell quartet: Elinor, Alla, Megga and the superstar, Margaery Tyrell. Sansa took longer to look away from Margaery, but could almost affirm that Margaery also watcher her as she greeted the other northern players.  
Teams ready. Ball on the net. Possession to the North. Service to Alyn Blackwood.

Although Bethany have - due to her difficult services to tame - helped the North reach a 3-0 result, the first set was tottaly dominated by the Reach, showing their experience and capacity in major tournaments against a North still trying to get used to the big stages, winning by a clear result of 25-11. Osha sought to change the teams formation, exchanging a unlucky Jeyne Poole by Alys Karstark, and the substitution almost resulted, since the Reach only won the second set by 25-19. Sansa had managed some big blocks, but the Tyrell quartet dominated the block in the net, reducing Meera, Ygritte and Dacey to few points in the first two sets of the game.  
“Alright girls, we’re getting better. Concentration. All of you. Dacey and Ygritte, I want both of you to send the ball always to the bottom of the court. Talla and Desmera seem to be unable to hold you shots. If necessary, put the ball just on the other side. The Wall may be in the North, but we can’t afford to lose another point to the Tyrell’s block on the net. Do not give up, girls. It’s hard but not impossible. There are many games that the teams losing by two end up winning. Sansa, good defensive efforts.

Blocking the powerful shots of Margaery and the others Reach players, even if she had to throw herself to the flour, Sansa, and her team, kept the game alive, as both teams tried to score . The Reach wanted to win 3-0, while the North sough to win they first set at the Olympic Games. As Sansa was on defense and Ygritte, Meera and Dacey were positioned in the offensive zone, the North was able to fight the opposite team. However, as the team had to rotate they positions every time they scored, the limitations of the Northerner National Team mean that the game would become unbalanced as Sansa headed for the bench, or one of the offensive players faced defensive positions.  
If she was good at the block, Sansa thought, as she saw the North struggle on the pitch, I could help my teammates score points on the net.

The third set ended in disappointment to the North. The Reach had won the third and last set by 25-14, winning the match by a clear 3-0.

At the end of the match, Osha ordered the team to resemble a circle, as she tried to moralize the team after the defeat in the inaugural game of the competition.  
“We faced the best team. There was not much we could do. We still have four games remaining. Good results and we will be in the quarterfinals. This defeat only helps us to improve.” Dacey Mormont, team’s captain, nodded to Osha speech. Osha took a deep breath and shouted: “The North prevails!”  
“The North prevails!”


	2. Oldtown and a Tyrell

Sometimes there were moments when Sansa hated her friends.  
Shaking the collar of the t-shirt that clung against the skin with the heat that it did in the early afternoon in Oldtown, Sansa accompanied Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel on a guided tour around the great monuments of the Reach’s city, taking advantage of the afternoon’s leave given by Osha to walk around and enjoy the oldest city in Westeros, as the guide already mentioned several times during the tour.  
In truth, Sansa would rather have stayed in the Olympic Park, reading a book or watching some of her favorite series that coincidentally originated in the Reach. But, instead, she was dying of heat and thirst as she tried to observe the Hightower just as the sun was setting behind the giant building. Thus, almost blinded by the sunlight, Sansa tried to keep up with the awful northerner pronunciation that the guide as he explained to them the history of the monument.  
“There is still much?” She asked Jeyne at last.  
“Stop being boring. Can you live a little?” Answered Jeyne, clearly exasperated by Sansa, who only wanted to go back to the room. “Enjoy the sun. There is little of him in Winterfell.  
Jeyne was right about the sun. Even in the summer, the snows were frequent and the weather was always cold, forcing her to have to wear autumn clothes to protect her from the cold. In fact, all the clothes that Sansa wore during the day in Oldtown had been purchased prior to the arrival in the Olympic Games, to not have to wear winter clothes during the scorching heat of the South.  
Putting the sunglasses, Sansa looked around, seeing a crowded square of people speaking a multitude of languages, many of which Sansa did not recognize. Near her, were other groups of tourists going in and out Hightower accompanied by their guides.  
“Will we go up to the lighthouse” She asked the guide at last.  
“Off course.” He replied, with a smile on his face. “But I have to say first that the tickets aren’t included and must be paid separately.”  
Sighing, Sansa swore again at the tourism taxes In Oldtown.

Sansa felt robbed as she entered the Hightower. Ten silver stags were too much to climb to the top of the damn tower. However, due to the insistence of her friends, Sansa eventually paid the amount at the entrance, mulling over the money spent as they climbed the long staircase to the top of the building.  
Although the thick stones walls were already cracked and worn out over the centuries, the hightower was in a good state of preservation, and the new technologies such as lights and glass windows did not seem to take away the antiquity to the gigantic monument of which she had heard so much talk in the North. Arriving at the top of the building, Sansa looked at the wooden torch that stood in the center, representing the ancient stone torch that had illuminated the skies of Oldtown at night and guided the ships that sailed the Redwyne Straits. The hightower, as Sansa hung on the parapet, is located in the center of Oldtown as the Honeywyne and its crystalline waters flow into the main port of the Reach. In the horizon, she could observe both Citadel and the Starry Sept, as well as others important buildings of later construction, though they were less famous. Almost imperceptible on the horizon, Sansa could see the Olympic Park, where delegations from the entire planet were based.  
Is Margaery in the Olympic Park or does she own a house in Oldtown? Sansa thought as she stared at the horizon.  
Last night had been difficult to fall asleep; and in this morning, except for the morning training, she had not been able to turn the mind of the Tyrell, imagining her in her green and golden equipment. Although she repudiated the sexism that volley suffered by the men, that the only interesting thing was see the girls play in hers outfits, Sansa agreed as to how sexy a woman could be in those outfits. And Margaery, undoubtedly, was extremely hot on the golden outfit.  
Stop. She told herself. Behave yourself. You did not come to Oldtown to dream about Margaery and beyond that, she doesn’t like women like you do.  
Ever since she had first seen Margaery on television some years ago, Sansa had been seduced by the beautiful player from the Reach, having spent many nights’ sleepless nights in which she only had Margaery on her mind. Now that she had been so close to her teenager crush, Sansa could not help but feel frustrated and daring to try to make all those wishes of her youth a reality.  
“Sansa.” Called Beth. “We have to go. Jeyne and I still want to get some photos of the Starry Sept.  
Sighing, Sansa moved away from the headlights grilles and returned to Beth and Jeyne, still walking behind them, following them on the city tour.  
The Starry Sept was magnificent. Unable to look away from the giant stained-glass windows and the marble statues that decorated the giant sept, Sansa could not see Beth and Jeyne depart from her, leaving her behind, surrounded by tourists flooding the religious monument, taking dozens of photos, mixing the colors of the stone walls decorated with long tapestries with the flashes of the cameras. Finally, blending in the middle of the tourists, Sansa saw some of the elderly women who sought to pray to the Seven even though a large part of the crowd seemed to ignore the place where they were, talking loudly and walking freely, not respecting the place and the believers.  
Another problem of the tourism, she thought. Although Sansa loves to travel and meet new realities and peoples, Sansa had always seen with displeasure those who disregarded the rules and regulations of the countries visited and places where photos were taken. Even though Sansa was not a great believer in the gods, she was annoyed when people talked and ate in the Sept and in the Godswood as if they were walking on the street cities.  
Going through the tourists, apologizing in both northerner and the Common Tongue, Sansa approached the altar, where seven giant marbles figures clothed in linen stood over, staring at them with hard, twitching eyes. Everyone, except the Stranger, whose dark look froze Sansa.  
Focusing on the Mother, Sansa recalled his youth where, like her mother, professed the Faith of the Seven. Lifting her head, looking at the gigantic divine figure as one of the giants the Old Nan had told her when she was very young, Sansa wondered what the Mother though about her dreams with Margaery last night. When she had been a believer and realized that she liked women, Sansa often wondered what the gods would think. She never had an answer.  
The gods don’t care. Is the man who speaks on they behalf.

Letting herself stand still in front of the Seven Gods, who seemed to observe all those who were inside the giant sept, Sansa wondered if the Old Gods from the North also judged her with hash eyes or if accompanied her with kind looks. She could not tell. The Winterfell’s weirwood always had the same face. It was silent, cold and terrifying.  
Enough of gods, she thought. Whether they want it or not, I’m going home.

When she arrived at the Olympic Park, the clock marked almost 4pm, giving her only one hour to do what she wanted to do before the afternoon’s training, with the second game of the competition in mind. Meereen had lost the first game against the Iron Islands and if Sansa and the Northern team wanted some ambition in the Olympic Games, they had to win the game to keep fighting for the medals.  
But before that, Sansa had one hour to shut off her mind from Margaery.


	3. A disastrous day

Impotent, Sansa merely glanced at the ball. It was placed, far from the reach of the team, but Dalla still tried do perform a dig, trying to stay in the game, only to put It off the volleyball court. Dacey Mormont still tried to run after the ball, but quickly stopped as her team saw the ball fall outside the lines, giving the point to the Meereen team.  
15-12. They just had lost the fifth and final set by 15-12.  
Letting her body fall backward and sitting on the gym’s floor, Sansa glanced between her team, all of it in silence as Osha sought to comfort the team and Bethany Blackwood comforted a desolated Dalla. Ygritte, on the other hand, furious, marched directly to the access tunnels to the changing rooms, pursued by a Dacey Mormont that runs after her, calling her. On the other side, the Meereen players celebrated the victory against the North as if of an Olympic medal. It was not for less: Meereen had never won an official game against a Westerosi team.  
That’s what bothered Sansa the most. The settlement of the reality they had just lost against a team that had never won against a continent. The northerners were already poorly rated in the competition and this defeat further drowned the opinions of the volleyball world.  
If we lose against the Dothrakis, Sansa thought, we can forget a return to the North.  
“Sansa.” Val said, placing her hand on her shoulder, as if trying to comfort her.  
Looking up, Sansa stared at Val. With her blond hair tied in a ponytail, Val watched her with the look of one who understood her frustration. The heartburn and anger of a wounded pride after a defeat like this.  
“I’m fine.” Answered. Val did not seem to believe it, but she smiled a little before removing her hand from Stark’s shoulder and returned to the bench, where Osha was talking to Kyra and Jeyne Poole.  
At that moment, the opposing team had already leaved to the changing rooms and the spectators began to leave the arena. All but a few followers from the North shouted words of encouragement. Rising, Sansa joined her colleagues.  
“I admit that this defeat is humiliating and that we have to radically change the results. I have seen Olympic Games where the gold medal winners started very badly in the group stages and then everything changed in the knockout rounds. These competitions can be a marathon and is not this mishap that will throw us down. Understood?” Osha looked around, looking in the eyes of every player. “Come on, let’s all raise our heads. We cannot let ourselves be shaken by this result.

Entering the locker room, Sansa quickly found Ygritte’s locker open and the sportive bag hurled against a wall, but only saw Dacey sitting on the bench, head down, staring at her phone.  
“Dacey”. She said, sitting down beside the captain. She glanced at her phone, seeming to read Twitter comments.  
“I’m reading the firsts opinions of sports journalists and the comments of the internet. A great storm of contestation.  
“You know how the North is I those aspects”. Sansa replied, trying to cheer Dacey, if that was possible.  
With a sigh, Dacey sank her shoulders.  
“We lost against a team that never won an official match against a westerosi team. It was mandatory to have won this game.” She paused, shaking her head. “It would be better if we had lost against the Wildlings.” Surprised, Meera turn her head to the captain, but Dacey seemed not care or ignored her. “Before this match, we were always that team of almost, you know, that team fans liked to support and to see us in a great competition. After this, we are a weak team without capacity to the Olympic Games.  
“Do not be like that.” Sansa said, trying to comfort her. They’d been in too many defeats, but she’d never seen Dacey as unmotivated like this.  
Dacey shook her head and rose from the bench, muttering something like fetch Ygritte, leaving Sansa and the rest of the team behind, as she slowly out of the locker room.

The defeat against Meereen was not the only news to shake the building where the small northerner delegation was headquartered. On the same day that the game had taken place, two athletes of the shooting sport had been eliminated. They would still be present in another shooting event, but it would be Lyanna Mormont to leave the Olympics after concluding the last fencing competition, returning home without an outstanding performance. But the worst news was reserved of Eddarda Talhart, who broke her leg during a riding training session and would have to return early to the North.  
It seems that these Olympics want nothing to do with the North, Sansa thought sadly.  
The North rarely won medals at the Summer Olympic Games. The North strength was mostly in the Winter Olympics, but now that Sansa was in the competition, she could not help but feel the situation more negatively. Exasperated and needed to be distracted, Sansa rose from the couch in the living room and went upstairs to her room, fetching a coat, one of the rare coats she had brought with her from the North.  
“I’m going for a walk.” She said as she passed by Gilly. Before she heard an answer, Sansa had already left the floor of the volleyball team, running down the stairs of the building to the central street of the Olympic Park.

Walking around, without a clear destiny, Sansa began to walk through the Olympic residence area, crossing an empty street as the day ended and the night fell on Oldtown. Walking slowly, Sansa listened to music as she looked around, seeing the building with the lights on and the lampposts lightning. A faint wind was blowing around her but Sansa ignored it, accustomed to worse winds. Recognizing the flags in front of the buildings, Sansa noticed the buildings of the Westernlands, Dorne and Lys before looking at her phone again. There was a miss call from Wylla Manderly.  
Calling her back, Sansa pushed the phone to her hear and was answered quickly:  
“Hello, Wylla”.  
“Hi Stark. How do you feel? Here in White Harbor we do not talk about anything else. In another situation I would even say that the volleyball these days is the most played game in the North.”  
Sansa let out a sigh.  
“We had one of the most humiliating defeats in the North’s history. Yes, we already had too many defeats but this one may be the worst of them all, and if we do not win two days from now against the dothrakis, we are exiled from the North.”  
Wylla laughed on the other side but was quick to lament, before adding:  
“Yes, you are under fire from the critics, but I’m confident that you will defeat the dothrakis two days from now. They have a bad team and only are in the Olympic Games because their qualification is very easy. This defeat was a fluke. You made an excellent exhibition against the Reach. Don’t be discouraged Sansa, neither you nor the rest of the team. Those who like volleyball are with you, still supporting.”  
Sansa felt comforted by Wylla words. Ever since she lived in White Harbor, Wylla was one of her best friends, who had helped her in the beginning to get used to her new life and city.  
“I wish you been here.” Sansa said at last.  
“So do I, Stark. But I cannot. You have a fantastic team of friends there; you’re not alone, and, at most, you do not have Margaery Tyrell too far away from you. Have you talked to her yet?”  
Sansa rolled her eyes like a teenager.  
“Please, Wylla, do not start.”  
Sansa heard a chuckle on the other side of the call.  
“You don’t miss an opportunity to see Margaery games. Plus, you have an edition of a sport magazine with and interview with her. Do you really think I believe that you never tried to meet her yet?”  
“Yeah. I’m busy. It may not look it, but when we don’t have games, we are training to those fucking games. We only get a vacation when we return to the North.”  
“That never stopped anything.” Wylla answered. Before Sansa could reply, her friend added: “Look, it’s late in White Harbor; I’m going to turn of the call. I have to work tomorrow. Love you.  
“I love you too”. Sansa answered, as she heard the call being turned off. Clutching the phone on her pocket, Sansa quickened her pace, wanting to return home. She had left without dinner and now she felt hungry.

When she returned to the volleyball’s team floor, shed had a plate of pasta and meat in the microwave to her left by her team. Apart from Meera and Val, who saw a program about swords, no one else was in the living room.  
It was understandable. The game was exhausting and the result left little willingness to gatherings.  
Dining alone, because she disliked the programs of the two classmates in the living room, Sansa slowed clenching the food when Osha came from of her, pulling a chair and sitting down.  
“Sansa…”  
“I know, I know… I should have warned you that I would walk around, but…”  
“Let me talk.” The coach answered, interrupting her. “It’s not about that, Gilly warned me, and we left you that plate. I’d rather prefer that you told me, but I’ve always liked to see my team as a team of adults without needing big supervisions.”  
“So… what is this about?”  
Osha shrugged.  
“The OIC wants to do an advertising campaign for some reason and chose the women’s volleyball teams. They asked us to be Dacey Mormont and you.  
“Me?” Sansa was surprised. “Dacey makes sense; she is the captain, but why me? Why not Bethany Blackwood if they have to be two players?”  
Osha shrugged again. From her facial expression, Sansa understood that Osha was unaware of the reasons for her choice.  
“Maybe it’s because of your exhibitions in the last two games. You have being highly praised by the sports critics here. Or maybe they want to show that women with your looks can also be professional athletes. We will figure it out tomorrow.”


	4. Advertising and Margaery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking to long. Hope that you enjoy.

  "Say no to racism" Said two players while holding a volley ball. Not recognizing the players of both teams, Sansa only knew that one of the players was from Yi Ti and the other one was a dothraki player.

  For advertising purposes, the OIC had requested players to bring they equipment, and so, wearing her gray outfit, Sansa was sitting in the corner, away from the shooting set, watching Dacey in the distance talking animatedly with three other female players: one from the Reach and the other two from the Westerlands.

  As soon as Sansa and Dacey had entered the shooting studio, Dacey had been quickly greeted by several players while Sansa let herself remain in the shadow. Except for her moment in front of the cameras, filming with other Yi Ti player, who Sansa quickly ignored after, she had always sat away from the set and almost all the players.

  It did not surprise her that Dacey was greeted by almost every player. She was the star and the captain of the North's team. Of the whole squad, and excluding Bethany Blackwood, Dacey Mormont was the only player playing outside the North, being the last six years playing in Lannisport, considered one of the best teams of Westeros.

  "Sansa" - Called Dacey. - I want to introduce you some of my friends.

  Obeying, Sansa rose from the chair and approached Dacey. As she approached Dacey and her friends, Sansa recognized the players. Wearing the Reach's gold and green, was Meredyth Crane, one of the Reach veterans players and whom Sansa had faced in her Olympic debut. As for the other two players, wearing a crimson and golden outfit, who Sansa already had seen play on television, were Joa Hill and Jeyne Westerling.

  "I suppose you know who they are. Meredyth Crane, Joa Hill and Jeyne Westerling. My teammates in Lannisport."

  "Nice to meet you, Sansa" Meredyth said, stretching her hand.

  "Likewise" Answered the Start, squeezing her hand. "It's a great pleasure to meet you all".

  "You did an excellent display against us." Meredyth said. "I told Dacey that I never expected Meereen to win the game."

  Sansa felt the smile disappear from her face. Facing Meredyth, she could not help feeling that Meredyth was provoking her for her defeat in the last game. When Sansa wanted to respond and perhaps star a discussion, Jeyne Westerling intervened.

  "Leave them alone, Meredyth. The Reach also have its shares of unexpected losses"

  "Anyway" Dacey said. "Let's change the subject. We are here for a publicity of unity and respect, and the last thing we need is for us to start quarreling." She looked at Sansa. "Did you know that Sansa is from an olympic family?".

  "Really? Who came with you to the Olympics?" Joa asked, her voice ringing with excitement.

  "Only me. I'm the only Stark in Oldtown. Dacey refers to my sister Arya, who is an Ice Hockey player and my aunt Lyanna, who participated in the Olympic Games long time ago. In equestrianism."

  "That's very cool." Joa said. "My family never took sports seriously. I mean, they never wanted me to be a volleyball player."

  Before Sansa could respond, she heard footsteps toward her and Dacey's group of friends. Turning her head, she saw that it was Margaery Tyrell. Staring at her, she could not help but smile at her. When Margaery smiled back, Sansa felt her heart racing inside her chest and her cheeks starting to blush.

  "Meredyth" - She said, joining her teammate. "I hope I'm not interrupting a team discussion."

  "If so, Sansa would be the latest addition to the Lannisport team." Replied Meredyth.

  At that moment they all looked at Sansa who was still trying to hide her smile.

  "Does the idea amuse you?" Jeyne Westerling asked her.

  "Why not? Lannisport has one of the best teams in Westeros and I'm sure Dacey would be happy to have company. And besides, I'm pretty tired of having snow in August.

  A general chortle of laughter exploded between them, in such an audible chort that some of the most distant players glanced back at them, trying to understand the reason for the laughter. Only Dacey did not laught, seeming to stare at Sansa as she contemplated Margaery's smile.

 

  Although the OIC only intended to carry out an olympic spirit advertising, they quickly seized the opportunity for interviews with some volley players being asked several questions by journalists.

  Osha had warned them that this session could take all afternoon.

  Of the two training sessions they did daily, Sansa and Dacey had only been present in the first one, the matinal training because of OIC request to be in a studio during the afternoon. Anyway, Sansa preferred to be with the team, to perfect the strategy for the game with the dothraki national team. She knew she was not the only one to have a game tomorrow, but many of the players here seemed to ignore that, chatting cheerfully among them, especially among female players playing in the same professional clubs.

  Sitting in the chair, away from the rest and surfing in the internet, Sansa was watching while unable to hear, an interview between the two players of the Riverlands and Yi Ti, who would face each other fot the third game of group B.

  Sansa looked around, looking for Dacey, but could not find her. Instead, she noticed Margaery walking toward her.

  "Hello, Sansa". She said, sitting next to her. "Why so far here?"

  "I'm not being interviwed. So I decided to step back a little."

  Margaery smiled at her.

  "I see..." She looked around. "What do you thing about all of this?"

  Sansa was thoughtful for a moment, then said.

  "Honestly, I would rather be training with my teammates for tomorrow's game or in my room than pretending to be an actress. I still have to understand why I was chosen insted of Bethany Blackwood...

  "Maybe for a number of reasons." Answered Margaery. "Maybe it's because the OIC decided to make the publicity with several beautiful players from different teams; or maybe it's because you are being critically acclaimed for your excellent perfomances."

  "Thank you, but I do not see how I can be acclaimed by my exhibitions if the North has only defeats."

  "You have two defeats in two games, yes. I understand why you are like this. When I made my debut in the olympics, I only could think about the results and the games. Do not let that upset you, Sansa."

  Feeling Margaery hands on her leg, Sansa frowned.

  "Why are you talking about this?"

  "Because I want to help you?"

  "And why you want to help me?" Asked a confused Sansa.

  "Do you know why you are here?" Margaery asked suddenly. Before Sansa could answer, Margaery continued. "Because I asked to a friend in the OIC to choose you to come with Dacey."

  "Why?" Sansa asked in surprise.

  "I saw you game against Meereen." She said. "I remember the last point where you teammete failed the dig and the ball goes off the field. In the general disillusionment of your team while Meereen celebrated the victory as if it were a medal. And I saw you, far from them, sitting on the floor, sad and discouraged. As gray as the outfit you wore. I thought you were going to cry. I've never seen anyone so sad, and thought maybe I could help."

  "Thanks but..."

  "Sansa!" Called Dacey, as she approached Margaery and her. "I hope I'm not interrupting".

  "No at all." Answered Margaery. "I just getting to know your teammate. An excellent player, Dacey. It seems you finally aren't the only good player of the North."

  Sansa could not help but feel proud by the words of his idol.

  "I'd rather not go in there, Margaery. I've known you for too many years." Dacey looked at Sansa, as Margaery smiled at Dacey with a cynical smile. "We are finished here, we can leave if we want."

  "Okay." Answered Sansa. She was relieved to be able to get out the studio and going back to the Olympic Park, and yet, she was equally reluctant to leave Margaery. While thinking in a answer, Margaery took Sansa phone from her hands and dialed a phone number.

  _Her number,_ Sansa thought, as she understood Margaery's gesture.

  "If one day you wish to see the city, give me a call. Oldtown is a wondeful city."

  "Thanks." Sansa said quickly, feeling the excitement in her voice. Trying to calm her voice, Sansa replied. "But I've already walked around Oldtown.

  "At night?" Asked Margaery.

  "No. Only in the daytime.

  Margaery smiled.

  "Seeing the monuments is not the same as seeing the city."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank all the kudos and comments.


	5. A date?

  Sansa loved Wylla. In recent years she had been her best friend, since moving to White Harbor, however, there were times when Sansa regretted telling everything Wylla as if they were teenagers. Especially when Wylla knew of his crush on Margaery.

  "Tell me you're kidding, Sansa." Shoot the Manderly, not letting Sansa speak. "Please tell me it's a bad joke."

  "Wylla..."

  "Wylla nothing!" She exclaimed. "Margaery went to talk to you and asked you out. More direct it was impossible, and you left without saying a word. You could have at least send her a message."

  "Yes, but... what should I say?" Finally, Wylla let her speak. "Whenever I see news about her, I find almost nothing of her private life. For someone famous, the only thing that is known is that she dated Renly Baratheon, before he started dating her brother."

  "Someone is gossiping about the lives of others."

  "Yes, Wylla, I read the magazines. And Margaery Tyrell is Oleanna Tyrell's granddaughter. She is always on the news.

  "Stalker." Wylla said, bursting into laughter. "You have to call her, Sansa. If not today, at least tomorrow, after the game."

  "I don’t know." Sansa tried to say. "I don’t know if she likes women. She dated Renly Baratheon for a few years.

  "Yes, until he dumped her for her brother." She paused. "You cannot let that stop you, Stark."

  Sansa let out a sight.

  "If she does not like women then it’s a major impediment."

  Wylla sighed, a weary sigh.

  "I give up." She said. "In the North, you are always saying how much you would love to meet Margaery, and now, you have the chance to meet her... she gave you her number, for gods sake." Wylla sighed heavily and for a moment they were silent. Finally, Wylla said. "Sansa, it getting late here. Good night."

  "Good evening. Sansa answered, before Wylla had dropped the call."

  Wylla was right. Back in the North, Sansa never stopped thinking about opportunities to meet Margaery Tyrell, and now that she had her number, it seemed absurd to not take advantage of it. But she could not help but fear that moment. It would not be the first rejection she ever had, she had been dumped some times, and despite some girlfriends in the past, Sansa always had a crush on Margaery.

  It had always seemed foolish to have a crush with someone she had only seen on television, but now that Margaery was around, she could only feel a tingling in her belly and her heart skip a beat whenever she saw Margaery.

  _I have to call her_ , Sansa thought, though she did not have the guts.

  Searching for Margaery's number, Sansa went to press the green button and call her, but in the last moment she lost all courage.

  She put her phone in her pocket and dropped her own body back on the bed as she stared at the ceiling silently.

  She could not tell how long she'd been staring at the ceiling when she heard a knock on the door. Telling to come in, Sansa got up from the bed, sitting as the door opened, just to reveal Dacey Mormont

  "Hi Sansa"

  "Hello" The redhead replied, wondering why Dacey walked into her room.

  Without a word, Dacey closed the door behind her and looked around, seeing the other empty beds in the room.

  "Are only you here?" She asked, gesturing to the empty beds.

  "Yes. Beth and Jeyne went out with some guys from the swimming team. As for Ygritte, I have no idea, but I relieved she is not in the room" She said with a small laugh.

  Dacey seemed to stare at her with a frown. Finally, walking forward, she said, as she sat down in front of her, on the bed that belonged to Beth Cassel:

  "And you? Why are you here alone? " Dacey wanted to know. "Val and Gilly are watching some cooking show." Bethany, Alys and I were playing monopoly."

  "Monopoly?" Sansa asked in surprise.

  Dacey shrugged.

  "Why not?" At least we have an excuse to start fighting." Sansa laughed. Dacey, in turn, got up from Beth's bed and sat down next to Stark. "And you? Why are you here alone?"

  Sansa stopped abruptly. Staring dazedly at Dacey, not knowing what to say.

  "I was on the phone with a friend of mine. And before that I was reading a book." She replied, gesturing to the book on the bedside table. "Is everything okay, Dacey?"

  " I don’t know." She answered. "You tell me. After we left the studio, you were quiet until we got to our floor and closed yourself in the bedroom. And during dinner you did not utter a word..."

  "I'm thoughtful, that's all."

  "Because of Margaery?"

  Sansa jumped on the bed, surprised at the question.

  "No, no. None of that." She said, too hastily. "Just thinking about tomorrow's game and in my family ... and in the North, I admit."

  Dacey frowned. She did not believe in Sansa's bad response. Sighing and shaking her head, Sansa buried her head in her hands, not wanting to face Dacey Mormont.

  "How do you know?

  "A wild guess. I noticed how you looked at Margaery on the day of the game against the Reach and how you acted today whenever you saw her."

  Sansa was astonished for a moment. She knew that Dacey had an academic background in research and that she planned to become a detective after finishing her professional career, but even so, Sansa did not expect Dacey to read her mind.

  _Or maybe you're too obvious_ ; she heard a voice inside her.

  Dacey reached out, taking her hand, forcing her to look up.

  "I know you are a lesbian." Sansa glanced at Dacey and she seemed to be expecting an answer, but continued when Sansa did not reply. "You know, I have always questioned myself why you left Winterfell and one of the best volleyball clubs in the North to play in a secondary team in White Harbor."

  "How do you know?" Sansa asked. "I always made that a secret"

  "You know I'm friends with your brother, right?"

  _Damnit Robb_ , Sansa thought, _you can't keep a fucking secret?_

  "Do not condemn him." Dacey said, smiling at her. "He only told me after he punched Theon because of one homophobic joke."

  So that's why they stopped being friends, Sansa thought, puzzled as she discovered the answer to one of the mysteries that had intrigued her most.

  "I do not know if she likes women." "He admitted Dacey at last. "And I do not want to accept her invitation, fearing it's only out of kindness and some reason to want to meet me ..."

  "Maybe you're being too negative, Sansa. You don't have anything to lose, do you? Call her and combine something for after the game. I'll talk to the coach, she'll grumble but she'll allow it. If we win, she will not even want to know." She paused, dropping her hand and resting it on her shoulder as she smiled. "You will only know the answer to your doubts after you search for a answer... and she seemed quite insistent to want you to go out with her."

  "Shut up!" Sansa answered with a lively laugh.

  Dacey smiled to her.

  "I'm more excited. You have any further questions?"

  "Just one. Why the hell is Val seeing a cooking show?"

  This time Dacey laughed.

  "I don't know. I was astonished myself." Dacey got up from Sansa's bed and walked toward the door, turning to Sansa as she rested her hand on the doorknob. "I have to go back to the game. As for you, talk to her."

  Alone in the bedroom, Sansa pulled the phone from her pants pocket and searched for Tyrell's contact. When she found it, she stopped, thinking if she should call her or send her a message. Finally, after looking at her watch, Sansa opted on the message.

 

**Sansa - 23:17**

_Hello, is Sansa. You gave me your number this afternoon and I thought that maybe_

 

  _No_ , she told herself. _It can't be like this_. She deleted the message and wrote a new one.

 

  **Sansa - 23:18**

  _Hello, it's Sansa. Sorry for the delay, it's that tomorrow I have a game and the coach does not allow us to be out of the Olympic Park on the eve of a game... anyway... I wanted to know if you were interested in something tomorrow night._

 

  Taking a deep breath, Sansa pressed the send and put down the phone, having the feeling of wish that the answer was immediate, as Sansa began to regret having sent the message as the minutes passed away. Finally she heard the phone vibrate.

   It was a message from Margaery.

 

  **Margaery - 23:32**

  _Hi Sansa. Of course, I understand. Professionalism above all else. Yes, it could be tomorrow night, after our games. I'll send you a message confirming the location and time. See you tomorrow and good luck to the game._

 

  **Sansa - 23:33**

  _OK, it's a date. I'll be waiting. Thanks and good luck to you to. Bye._

 

  Putting the cell phone on the nightstand, Sansa lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling again. She felt divided. His mind was worried again, but his heart throbbed hastily, enthusiastic about tomorrow's "meeting."


	6. First victory

  After two balanced sets, with a win to the North and one to the Dothrakis, Sansa’s team was well positioned in the third set, comfortably leading the result.

  Bethany Blackwood serves strong for an impeccable dominance of the dothraki defense that puts the ball on the other side of the net at auction. Sansa receives, directing it to Dacey that in a high step puts it to the shot of Ygritte, without any chance for the dothrakis players.

  North scores!

  Service for Bethany to serve in strength, finding one of the dothraki players who badly dominates the ball. One of the players in the headlines plays on the back and a third tries a shot that ends up being given by Alys Karstark, who plays for Meera. Meera, in a high pass, raises the ball and Dacey simulates the shot, only for Ygritte to strike in force against the dothraki block. The ball goes up with both teams to wait where the ball will fall. Touching first on the net, the ball falls to the side Dothraki and the player in a bad reception, leaving the ball very low, being delivered to the North team in a weak shot. Dacey, close to the net, plays to Ygritte, who passes back to Alys Karstark, who, from the defensive zone, attacks the ball in a powerful shot without possibilities to the Dothraki team prevent the northern point.

  Sansa throws herself into the arms of Alys who is quickly involved by the other teammates.

  “Last point and it’s ours.” Dacey told them before leaving and North team resumes their positions as Bethany Blackwood was preparing for the service that could give the set to Northern team.

  Beating the ball in the air, Bethany didn’t not score on the service because one of the Dothrakis players threw herself to the ground, avoiding the point in extremis. However, as the reception was not the best, the ball had flown only in height, with one of its players having to occupy the position of the colleague to put the ball on the dothraki offensive line. The third touch, a weak shot, was stopped by Sansa, who put the ball in Meera. Dacey and Ygritte simulated the shot just for Alys to emerge from behind, in flight, and shooting the ball that ends at the bottom of the field, passing by two dothrakis players who only saw the ball pass through them and fall into the field.

  Before Sansa could raise her arms and celebrate the victory on the set, Dacey and Ygritte had already embraced Alys and Val and Beth Cassel invaded the field to celebrate the point won.

  The North had won the third set by 25-13 and was winning the game 2-1.

  Dacey had the team assembled. It was not just the six on the field, but the twelve gathered in a large circle.

  “Listen to me. I want to win this match in the next set and win all three points. Just play as we did in the last three services. Understood?”

   "Yes," said the others.

   It was Osha's turn to speak.

  "As Dacey has already said, we cannot afford to fall asleep. They have nothing to lose and may want to take advantage of our lack of experience in the Olympic Games. We will continue to play a 3-3. Val, you're going to go to Meera's place. Bethany and Sansa, you will be replaced by Jeyne and Dalla.”

 

  Sitting on the bench, drinking water and resting her legs, Sansa saw the fourth set of the bench.

  The Dothraki team, clearly affected by the setback of the third set and the inability to stop the offensive trio from the northern offensive trio and Alys, who was surprising Sansa with her strong attacks, began to demoralize during the fourth set. The first point of the Dothrakis happened when the North led by nine. And when Osha decided to remove Dacey to put Kyra, the scoreboard already marked the result of 17-3.

  Before the game was over, Osha made new substitutions on the team, taking out Ygritte and Alys, replacing them with Gilly and Beth Cassel. The Dothrakis, perhaps because of Osha's changes, appeared to be able to reduce the score, although the score still showed a big difference in the result: 21-6.

 

  The fourth and final set of the game ended with an enlightening 25-7 victory for the northern team that, this way, won over the Dothrakis by 3-1. It was the first Olympic victory for the North. As some players bounced embraced each other within the field, Sansa was greeting some Dothraki players. Finally, when she turned to the bench close to where some of the northern followers stayed, she seemed to have seen Margaery Tyrell.

  “Sansa” Jeyne Poole called her. “Great victory.”

  “Indeed.” Sansa answered, hugging her friend. “Now, we have to do the same to Pentos.”

  As Sansa and Jeyne parted, they felt Ygritte and Val jump on their backs. Sansa wondered when it had been the last time when she had seen Ygritte with such a lovely smile on her face.

  As the moods settled, the players joined in a line and turned to the audience, thanking the support of the dozens of Northmen who had come to support them. Sansa still looked around, but no longer found Margaery Tyrell sitting on the bench.

  _Maybe it was not her_ , she thought. _She had a game today_.

  “Congratulations girls.” Osha said. “It was a great victory. It’s our fourth point in the competition and we leave the last place. Our next opponent won 3-0 today against Meereen and against the Reach they only lose in the fifth set.”

  Dalla raised her fist, celebrating again the triumph.

  "I want you to enjoy the night and celebrate this victory. Tomorrow the morning training will be at the same hour as always. Pentos is a complicated team and we have to be 100% prepared if we want to get a good result. She ran her hand over Kyra's head, who was still smiling. “The North prevails!”

  “The North prevails”

 

  The party continued in the dressing room, although quieter. With a laugh, Beth Cassel and Jeyne Poole were celebrating the victory, while Dacey was concentrating on her cell phone, ignoring a cheery Kyra. In the background, there was an Alys Karstark singing in the shower.

  Sansa, on her way out of the showers, covering her body with a towel and putting another towel on her head, letting her hair dry, picked up her phone; saw some messages from her parents and siblings, congratulating her on her victory in the game. Unable to stop smiling, Sansa looked up when Meera called them all, silencing the dressing room.

  “We have to celebrate tonight. I will pay a drink to everyone.”

  Almost the entire team celebrated immediately, applauding or suggesting the bars they could visit. Dacey, on other hand, merely raised her hand, silencing her teammates.

  “Osha was quite explicit. Tomorrow we will have the training session as usual; we can’t go with a hangover. This victory does not mean that everything is done.”

  “You heard the captain.” Ygritte said, approaching Dacey. “While she stays in her room to obey the coach instructions, we all are going to a bar that I found near downtown and that have live music.”

  “That a great idea.” Val answered.

  “And meet some boys” Jeyne answered, leading to a laughter shared by all the single players.”

  All but Sansa, who had reopened the messages, reading the message Margaery had sent her this afternoon, telling her to meet at 20:30 at the entrance to the building where the northern Olympic athletes were living. When Bethany Blackwood sat down next to Sansa, asking if she was coming too, Sansa turned her attention away from the phone, answering:

  “I cannot. I have something combined.”

  "What thing combined?" Jeyne asked, with a smile on her face.

  Before Sansa could reply, Bethany craned her neck, staring at the screen of Stark's cell phone.

  “I think she has a date.”

  Sansa shifted her phone from Bethany, but it was quickly taken away from her hands by Jeyne Poole, who picked it up and looked for the message as Beth Cassel looked at her cell phone. Behind them, trying to read, was Gilly.

  “You just won and game and have a date with the Highgarden’s Rose.” Meera said. Looking at a Sansa, she said, with a hint of amusement in her smile, "Is that why you were very concentrated in the game? Was she your prize?”

  “I swear I'll kill you!” Sansa answered, jumping from the bank and retrieving the phone from Jeyne's hands, although she still tried to put the phone behind her back, trying to stop Sansa from retrieving what belonged to hers.

  "Relax, Sansa, we're just kidding.” Ygritte answered. "Girls, let's get ready because Sansa is short on time.” She looked at Sansa. "And as for you, honor the North and show to that southern girl the wonders of a northern tongue"

  The dressing room rumbled with laughter and some colleagues mumble that it was too much information as Sansa sank her head, feeling her cheeks hot with embarrassment.

 

  It was with a ten minute delay that Margaery reached the front of the building where Sansa was waiting, leaving the vehicle that had stopped in front of Sansa.

  “Hello, Sansa. Sorry for the delay. Oldtown with the Olympics has more traffic rules than the usual.”

  “It’s ok. It's not too cold either.” Sansa retorted, as Margaery kissed one of her cheeks.

  "You don’t have cold in that dress?" Margaery asked.

  Sansa looked down at her own clothes. She wore a blue summer dress, only with a small coat to warm the wind that cooled her. Margaery, by other hand, had a black dress that made Sansa uncomfortable and hesitant between looking into her breasts, or, looking at her legs.

  _Do not look at her breast_ , she told herself, trying to ignore the fact that Margaery's dress did not show anything, but left little to the imagination.

  _That was not how I thought the night would start_ , Sansa thought, trying to look into Margaery's eyes.

  “It’s one of the good things on being a Northerner.” The nights like this are like summer. She said with a smile. When Margaery returned the smile, Sansa felt the strong heart beating in his chest.

  "Do you have a place in mind?" Sansa asked.

  “You already eat?”

  Sansa shook her head.

  “Good. I know a scheduled dinner at a restaurant I know. It’s great, you will love it.

  Margaery spun on her heel and walked to the car. Sansa, before following Margaery to her car, looked behind, only to found Jeyne and Val looking from the window. Jeyne waved to her and Sansa turned away, walking quickly to Margaery’s car.


End file.
